Hayward Fault: Hazards and Preparedness

Hazards and Preparedness

Major active faults such as the Hayward Fault are associated with many hazards. The most obvious hazard is that of large earthquakes, which induce ground shaking over a large area that can cause heavy objects to fall and windows to shatter, and can cause structural damage to buildings and bridges. Strong shaking and fault rupture can also lead to many other problems, including landsliding, liquefaction, fires, damaged roads, bridges, and runways, broken water and gas pipes, downed electrical and phone lines, and many other dangerous conditions. The net effects of these are often more severe and more widespread than the damage directly caused by the shaking itself, and they complicate emergency response and clean-up.

A more localized hazard is that of fault creep, gradual movement which steadily warps and tears apart those structures unfortunate enough to have been built directly atop the fault trace - among them, Memorial Stadium at UC Berkeley. While this type of fault movement is less dramatic than that of earthquakes, it, too, has a susbtantial impact: structures eventually become unsound and must be fixed (temporarily!) or torn down, and streets and pipelines that cross the fault must be constantly repaired. While legislation such as the Alquist-Priolo Zoning Act and the Seismic Hazard Mapping Act now call for special care in building near fault zones, many structures built prior to the enactment of these regulations sit directly on or adjacent to the Hayward Fault trace - and owners and residents may not be fully aware of the risks.

The following resources provide details about Hayward Fault hazards; what can be done by individuals and organizations to protect health, safety, and property; and hazard mitigation programs:

Hazards and Scenarios

Earthquake Scenarios for the Hayward Fault
Economic Benefits of a Disaster-Resistant University - Background and links to Professor Mary Comerio's study of economic effects of a major earthquake on UC Berkeley
The Hayward Fault - We Can't Ignore it
Something on landsliding?

Preparedness and Safety

Retrofit Programs

In order to prepare for the inevitable, many Bay Area companies are investing in seismic retrofitting projects. Here are links to some of the many programs in progress.

Hayward Fault
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